Detroit Struggles To ReBuild

Detroit Struggles To Re-Build

Lawrence Payne walks past two abandoned houses, Sept. 4, 2013, in the Six Mile Gratiot neighborhood of Detroit. Detroit has an estimated 78,000 abandoned buildings across its 142 square miles. Last month the city declared bankruptcy, the largest municipality to ever do so in the United States.

Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Detroit Struggles To Re-Build

Lawrence Payne walks past two abandoned houses, Sept. 4, 2013, in the Six Mile Gratiot neighborhood of Detroit. Detroit has an estimated 78,000 abandoned buildings across its 142 square miles. Last month the city declared bankruptcy, the largest municipality to ever do so in the United States.

Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Detroit Struggles To Re-Build

Tony Brown, a homeless man, smokes a cigarette as members of the Detroit Fire Department fight a two-alarm fire that broke out in an abandoned building down the street, Sept. 4, 2013, in the Six Mile Gratiot neighborhood of Detroit.

Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Detroit Struggles To Re-Build

A mattress sits on a bookshelf in an abandoned home, Sept. 4, 2013, in the Six Mile Gratiot neighborhood of Detroit.

Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Detroit Struggles To Re-Build

A man watches as members of the Detroit Fire Department fight a two-alarm fire that broke out in an abandoned building, Sept. 4, 2013, in the Six Mile Gratiot neighborhood of Detroit.

Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Detroit Struggles To Re-Build

Members of the Detroit Fire Department fight a two-alarm fire that broke out in an abandoned building, Sept. 4, 2013, in the Six Mile Gratiot neighborhood of Detroit.

Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Detroit Struggles To Re-Build

A couple looks at a painting at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), Sept. 3, 2013. As the city government struggles for a way to pay off its debts, the idea of selling off some of the DIA's collection has been suggested. The DIA was founded in 1885, covered over 600,000 square feet and is home to thousands of pieces of art spanning continents and millenia.

Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Detroit Struggles To Re-Build

A man looks at a Diego Rivera mural at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), Sept. 3, 2013. Detroit, once known as a powerhouse for creativity, engineering and manufacturing thanks to the many automotive companies based here, had to declare bankruptcy last month after decades of a shrinking population and lack of jobs.

Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Detroit Struggles To Re-Build

An art instillation created in the ruins of a partially burned-down home sits in the "Heidelberg project," an open-air art environment centered around one block in Detroit, Sept. 3, 2013. The Heidelberg project is the brain child of Tyree Guyton. He and other artists use the urban environment as a canvas for art, which they make using recycled materials.

Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Detroit Struggles To Re-Build

John Fullmore picks beans in his garden, which he created in an empty lot next to his house, Sept. 3, 2013, in Detroit. Fullmore, who is originally from Georgia, moved to Detroit in 1958 and worked as a metal finisher. While urban farming has recently seen a resurgence in Detroit due to the vast number of vacant lots, Fullmore says he has been gardening in Detroit for over 30 years.

Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Detroit Struggles To Re-Build

Ruins at the abandoned Packard Automotive Plant are seen, Sept. 4, 2013, in Detroit. The Packard Plant was a 3.5 million square foot car manufacturing plant built completed in 1911. Major operations ceased in 1958, though the plant was used in a limited capacity until the 1990s. Since then the buildings are now used mostly for graffiti artists and scavengers.

Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Detroit Struggles To Re-Build

Remnants of Detroit's historic Eastown Theatre are seen, Sept. 4, 2013. The theatre also operated off and on as a movie theater, music venue and church from 1931 until 2004; it could seat 2,500 people. Since 2004 it has been abandoned and fallen into disrepair.

Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Detroit Struggles To Re-Build

A car drives through downtown, Sept. 4, 2013, in Detroit. The city was designed for a population of 2 million, though just over 700,000 people now live here. Last month the city declared bankruptcy, the largest municipality to ever do so in the United States.